Dietary bioavailability of uranium to a model freshwater invertebrate
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Abstract
Uranium (U) mining increases environmental exposures. Understanding how U is taken up by organisms can aid in evaluating the potential for bioaccumulation and toxicity. Although the importance of aqueous geochemical speciation is well recognized for U bioavailability after dissolved exposures, far less is known about the processes controlling U bioavailability after dietary exposures. This study characterizes the biogeochemical drivers of dietary U uptake in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis in laboratory experiments. Solids tested included benthic diatoms pre-exposed to dissolved U(VI), soils from contaminated U mine sites, and colloidal hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) synthesized in the presence of dissolved U(VI) or with U complexed by natural organic matter (NOM). Results showed that U was bioavailable from all solids. Uranium assimilation efficiency (AE), a proxy for dietary U bioavailability, varied among solids. AE was lowest for the U-contaminated soils (25 ± 17%) and highest for the U-laden diatoms (71 ± 13%). AE varied slightly among HFO preparations, suggesting modest influences of NOM and iron on U bioavailability. Increases in dietary U exposures reduced feeding rates, and the extent of feeding inhibition appeared inversely related to U bioavailability. The high U assimilation and range of bioavailability have implications for toxicity risks inferred without considering dietary uptake.
Suggested Citation
Croteau, M.N., Fuller, C.C., Cain, D.J., Campbell, K.M., 2025, Dietary bioavailability of uranium to a model freshwater invertebrate: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 59, no. 31, p. 16641-16651, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c05140.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Dietary bioavailability of uranium to a model freshwater invertebrate |
| Series title | Environmental Science and Technology |
| DOI | 10.1021/acs.est.5c05140 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 31 |
| Publication Date | July 28, 2025 |
| Year Published | 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | ACS Publications |
| Contributing office(s) | Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, National Research Program - Central Branch |
| Description | 11 p. |
| First page | 16641 |
| Last page | 16651 |